Safety container and closure structures

ABSTRACT

The disclosure pertains to so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;safety&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; containers and closures or caps which may utilize conventional threads or thread means for attachment purposes and which may utilize conventional sealing structures or means for sealing purposes. These structures of this invention utilize cooperating holding means on a cap and a container. Such holding means are adapted to cause temporary deformation between the container and the cap as the cap is threaded on the container so that the holding means can &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;snap&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; past one another to a position in which the cap is latched against movement along the thread means. When a cap is so held, it may be removed by forcing the closure towards the container, compressing the sealing means until such time as the holding means are offset with respect to one another. The closure may then be removed from the container in a conventional manner.

United States Patent 3,376,991 4/l968 Deaver ABSTRACT: The disclosurepertains to so-called safety" containers and closures or caps which mayutilize conventional threads or thread means for attachment purposes andwhich may utilize conventional sealing structures or means for sealingpurposes. These structures of this invention utilize cooperating holdingmeans on a cap and a container. Such holding means are adapted to causetemporary deformation between the container and the cap as the cap isthreaded on the container so that the holding means can "snap" past oneanother to a position in which the cap is latched against movement alongthe thread means When a cap is so held. it may be removed by forcing theclosure towards the container. compressing the sealing means until suchtime as the holding means are offset with respect to one another. Theclosure may then be removed from the container in a conventional manner.

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MII/ENTOR DELL M MAL/CK EOWAED D. OER/AN A 7TORNE Y SAFETY CONTAINER ANDCLOSURE STRUCTURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different inherentlydangerous or potentially dangerous materials are commonly packaged incontainer-closure structures which are capable of being easily opened.Thus, for example, such materials are frequently packaged in containersclosed by screw-on-type caps or in containers closed by caps which aremerely snapped into place. There is always a danger that a child mayopen a container closed in either of these manners so as to gain accessto dangerous or potentially dangerous materials within them.

As a result of a recognition of this danger, a number of efforts havebeen made to develop so-called "safety" closures. In general suchclosures may be defined as closures which are more difficult to openthan conventional closures as indicated in the preceding. Normally suchsafety closures have required two different types of movements in orderto remove them from a container. It is believed that the complexity ofthe movements necessary to remove such closures from a container makethem safer from undesired opening than prior related structures asbriefly indicated.

An understanding of this invention does not require a detailed analysisof prior related "safety" closures. In a general manner it is consideredthat such closures are shown not to have been completely satisfactorybecause of the fact they are not commonly used in many applicationswhere it would seem that safety should require their use. Frequentlysuch prior closures have been comparatively complex and thereforeexpensive. Frequently there has been some question about thesatisfactory, reliable performance of such closures. Certain of suchclosures are considered to be relatively difficult to produce at aneconomical cost. In the field of container closures even extremely smallcost considerations on a per closure basis are important because of thelarge number of closures utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of this invention is to providenew and improved safety" containers and closures which overcome variouslimitations and disadvantages of prior related structures such as arebriefly indicated in the preceding. Another objective of this inventionis to provide combined structures which may utilize a conventionalcontainer neck and a conventional cap or closure. This is consideredimportant.

Although in some circumstances it may be desirable or necessary toprovide especially constructed molds or tooling to create combinedsafety containers and closures of this invention, the molds and toolingfor certain conventional container necks and closures or caps may bemodified at a very low expense in order to provide safety closures andcontainers of this invention. Obviously wherever this can be accomlishedthe advantages of the invention can be achieved economically. This isconsidered to be particularly significant in enabling safety structuresas herein described to be marketed at a cost which is substantially thesame as the cost of prior conventional structures.

Further objectives of this invention are to provide safety closures andcontainers adapted to be used in combination with one another; which maybe formed at substantially the same cost as existing containers andclosures; which may be assembled together utilizing existing assemblyequipment; which are of such a nature as to avoid or minimize certaintolerance problems presently encountered with the threads used onexisting containers and closures; which adequately seal against fluidleakage, and which are capable of giving satisfactory. reliableperformance.

These objectives are achieved in accordance with this invention throughthe use of what may be a conventional container neck and what may be aconventional container cap having a top and a skirt surrounding thecontainer neck. Such conventional structures include a compressiblesealing member or means forming a seal between the end of the neck andthe top of the cap and mating thread means such as partial bayonetthreads or a continuous one or more turn threads to secure the closureto the neck.

A structure of this invention utilized in addition to these elementscooperating holding means on the neck and on the skirt which are capableof engaging one another as the closure is applied to the neck so as tocause temporary deformation enabling the holding means to snap past oneanother to a position in which the holding means are engaged so as tolatch the cap against movement along the threaded means. With astructure of this invention the sealing means is compressed to form aseal when the holding means are so engaged. To remove the closure it ismoved towards the neck so as to further compress the sealing means andso as to offset the holding means with respect to one another so thatthe closure is capable of being unthreaded with respect to the containerneck.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The manner in which the variousobjectives of the invention noted are achieved and further details ofthe invention will be apparent from a detailed consideration of theremainder of the specification and the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a presently preferred embodiment of formof a container neck and closure of this invention used in combinationwith one another;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing part of the interior of the closureillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing part of the exterior of thecontainer neck shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are projections corresponding to a sectional view takenat line 5-5 of FIG. 1 illustrating aspects of the use of the containerand closure shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a modifiedform or embodiment of a container neck and closure of the invention;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view showing part of the interior of the closureindicated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view showing part of the exterior of thecontainer neck indicated in FIG. 8;

FIGS. ll, 12 and 13 are projections corresponding to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7,respectively, illustrating aspects of the use of the container andclosure shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. I4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a furthermodified container neck and closure of the invention;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view showing part of the interior of the closureillustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. I6 is an isometric view showing part of the exterior of thecontainer neck illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIGS. I7, I8 and 19 are projections corresponding to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7,respectively. illustrating aspects of the use of the container andclosure shown in FIG. I4.

The features of this invention may be embodied within other structuresthan these illustrated, through the use of routine engineering skill.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. I through 4 of the drawingsthere is shown a part of a container 20 having a cylindrical neck 22.This neck 22 has normally open end 24 and a base 26. The neck 22 isadapted to be closed through the use of a closure 30 having a top 32 anda dependent skirt 34 which is spaced from the exterior of the neck 22when the closure 30 is used. Conventional multiturn threads 36 and 38are formed on the neck 22 and on the interior of the skirt 34respectively for securing the closure 30 to the neck 22 in such a mannerthat a compressed deformable sealing member 40 forms a seal between thetop 32 and the end 24. The particular sealing member 40 illustrated is acompressible gasket formed of an elastomeric material. It is to beunderstood, however, that other known compressible sealing means may beemployed between the neck 22 and the top 32.

With the present invention the neck 22 is provided with a small lug 42adjacent to the end 24. This lug 42 is spaced from the threads 36 and isprovided with an upwardly facing, sloping surface 44. A correspondinglug 46 is located on the interior of the skirt 34 adjacent to the top32. This lug 46 has another downwardly facing sloping surface 48 whichis adapted to engage and slide against the surface 44 when the closure30 is being screwed down on the neck 22 by the use of the threads 36 and38 as indicated in FIG. 5.

Such engagement will impede the rotation of the closure 30 and cause atemporary deformation in an axial direction between the neck 22 and theclosure 30 as force is applied until such time as the lugs 42 and 46snap past one another. At this time substantially perpendicular surfaces50 and 52 on lugs 42 and 46, respectively, will slide into place so thatthey abut one another as indicated in FIG. 6. In this closed positionthe lugs 42 and 46 will have the effect of latching the closure 30 tothe neck 22 so that the closure 30 cannot be unscrewed off of the neck22. The sealing member 40 is to be dimensioned so that it will graduallybe compressed to form a tight seal against the neck 22 when the closure30 is latched in this position. Thus. the seal will be formed withouteasing the sealing pressure.

From this description it will be seen that the lugs 42 and 46 actessentially as cooperating holding means so as to hold the closure 30against undesired rotation. For these holding means to be operative inthe intended manner either the closure top 32 or the neck 22 or bothmust be capable of some temporary deformation to allow the lugs 42 and46 to be snapped past one another. The resiliency necessary toaccomplish this can easily be achieved by forming either the closure 30or the neck 22 or both out of a common polyolefin material such aspolyethylene or polypropylene. Other physically related materials can,of course, be used.

when these parts are formed of such materials, the sealing member 40will normally be formed integrally with the closure 30 so as to have aknown, different shape than indicated in FIG. 2. The neck 22 and theclosure 30 may be formed of other materials such as metal or glass. Itis necessary that either the closure 30 or the neck 22 be capable oftemporary deformation so as to allow the lugs 42 and 44 to snap past oneanother.

In order to remove the closure 30 from the neck 22 it is necessary topush this closure 30 towards the container to a sufficient extent sothat the lugs 42 and 46 are offset with respect to one another asindicated in FIG. 7 of the drawing. When these lugs 42 and 46 are sooffset, the threads 36 and 38 will also be offset slightly as indicatedin this Figure. When this offset condition has been achieved. thisclosure may be turned so as to move the lugs 42 and 46 away from oneanother and may be then unthreaded in a conventional manner. In orderfor this mode of operation to be achieved the sealing member must besufficiently compressible so as to permit the relative movement betweenthe lugs 42 and 46 described.

In FIGS. 8-10 of the drawing there is shown a part of a container havinga cylindrical neck 62 provided with a normally open end 64 and having abase 66. This container 60 is adapted to be utilized with a closurehaving a top 72 and a dependent cylindrical skirt 74. A single thread 76extends less than 360 around the exterior of the neck 62. A matingthread 78 of a similar length extends the same distance around theinterior of the skirt 74.

A known resilient, elastomeric sealing member 80 is located on theinterior seal against the end 64 of the neck 62. The sealing member 80has the form of a compressible washer. Other known compressible sealingmeans can be utilized in place of this precise sealing member 80. Suchother sealing means may be integral with the closure 70.

The container 60 is provided with a small lug 82 at the end of thethread 76 which is a slight distance below and out of alignment with thethread 76. This lug 82 has an outwardly facing sloping surface 84 whichis adapted to be engaged by a corresponding inwardly facing, slopingsurface 88 on a lug 86 within the interior of the skirt 74. This lug 86is in alignment with the thread 78 and is spaced from the end of thisthread 78. The lugs 82 and 86 are provided with flat surfaces and 92,respectively.

The use of the closure 70 upon the container 60 is very similar to theclosure 30 upon the container 20. In use the closure 70 is attached tothe neck 62 by being moved as shown by the arrow in FIG. II. As suchmotion continues, the surfaces 84 and 88 will engage and will causetemporary deformation in a radial direction until such time as the lugs82 and 86 snap past one another allowing the surfaces 90 and 92 to cometogether to a closed position as shown in FIG. 12. The position wherethis happens will coincide with the sealing member 80 being compressedsufficiently so as to form a seal.

To remove the closure 70 from the container 60 it is necessary tocompress the closure 70 towards the container 60 so as to furthercompress the sealing member 80. This will cause the lugs 82 and 86 to beoffset from one another as indicated in FIG. 13 of the drawing from theclosed position as shown in FIG. 12. When in such an offset position theclosure 70 may be turned in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 13so as to be removed from the container 60.

In order to achieve this mode of operation it is necessary to providefor temporary deformation sufficient for the lugs 82 and 86 constitutingcooperating holding means to be snapped past one another. As with thecontainer 20 and the closure 30 such temporary deformation may beachieved by forming the container 60 or the closure 70 or both out of amaterial which is somewhat resilient and is capable of temporarydeformation. Materials as are indicated in connection with the container20 and the closure 30 may be used.

In FIGS. 14 to 16 of the drawing there is shown a part of a containerwhich carries a neck 102 having a normally open end I04. A base 106 ofthis neck is attached to and forms a part of container 100. This neck102 is adapted to be closed by a closure 110 having a top 112 and adependent cylindrical skirt 114. The neck 102 carries slopingprojections 116 which are adapted to mate with corresponding slopingprojections I 18 on the interior of the skirt 114. These projections II6 and 118 are partial threads such as are used in bayonet-type joints;hence, may be classified as bayonet connections.

When they are attached to one another a seal is formed between the neck102 and the top 112 by means of a sealing member 120. This sealingmember 120 has the form of an inwardly directed, sloping flange formedintegrally with the neck 102. Other equivalent sealing means capable ofbeing compressed may be utilized. In order for the sealing member 120 tobe operative it is necessary for this member 120 and the entire neck tobe formed of an appropriate resilient, somewhat flexible material suchas materials as indicated in the preced Each of the projections 116 isprovided with a lug extension 122 having a downwardly facing, slopingsurface 124. Each of the projections I18 is in line with a lug 126 onthe skirt 114 which has an upwardly facing, sloping surface 128 whichcorresponds to the surface 124. During the movement of the closure 110so as to place it upon the container 100 in the direction of the arrowshown in FIG. 17, these projections 116 and 118 are moved along oneanother by rotation of the closure 110 until such time as the surfaces124 and 128 mate against and slide against one another so as to causetemporary axial deformation sufficient so that the lugs 122 and 126 cansnap past one another to a latched position as indicated in FIG. 18. Inthis position flat surfaces 130 and 132 on the lugs 122 and 126respectively fit against one another so as to prevent movement of theclosure 110 off of the container 100 in a conventional manner.

The closure 110 can. however, be removed as indicated in FIG. I9 bypushing it towards the base 106 so as to offset the lugs 122 and 126with respect to one another. This will of course place the projections116 and X18 offset from one another as indicated in FIG. 19. The closure110 may then be turned in the direction of the arrow shown in thisfigure so as to detach it from the neck 102.

Because of the fact that the neck 102 is formed of the flexible materialwhich provides for the operative character of the sealing member 120,the closure 1 may be formed of a comparatively rigid material incapableof temporary deformation. It however may also be formed of acomparatively flexible material such as a polyolefin so that that boththe neck 102 and the skirt "4 temporarily deform during the assembly ofthe closure 110 upon the neck 102.

Normally the threads on closures formed of such comparatively flexiblematerials must be formed with a comparatively high degree of precisionso that these closures will satisfactorily fit upon the threaded necksof containers. Similarly the container necks used with such closuresmust normally be fomted within relatively close tolerances forsatisfactory operation to be achieved. One benefit of the presentinvention is that the thread means utilized need not be formed to quitesuch close tolerances as have previously been required. This is becausewith the present invention what may be considered as a latching actionis achieved. This latching action prevents inadvertent or undesiredmovement of a closure with respect to a container once the closure hasbeen torqued down into an operative position in which a seal is formed.This is considered to be a particularly advantageous aspect of theinvention.

From a consideration of the preceding it will be realized that thevarious "lugs" described are holding means which serve two purposes.These lugs include surfaces which serve as cams or cam means to causetemporary deformation as indicated. These lugs also serve as latch meansor structures after such deformation has been achieved so as to lock aclosure against movement along the thread means described. With variousstructures indicated what in effect is a snap-type action based on theinherent resiliency or flexibility of a material in either the closureor the container neck or both is achieved. This is to be contrasted withprior related structures which do not utilize the properties of amaterial within a closure or container neck or both so as to obtain thetype of action set forth.

l claim;

I. The combination of:

a cylindrical container neck having an open end and a base;

a closure having a top and a dependent cylindrical skirt positioned onsaid neck with said top overlying said end and said skirt surroundingsaid end;

sealing means for forming a seal between said closure and said necklocated between said top and said end so as to form a seal therebetween;

mating thread means on the interior of said skirt and on the exterior ofsaid neck for detachably securing said closure to said neck;

in which the improvement comprises:

cooperating holding means on the exterior of said neck and the interiorof said skirt for latching said closure with respect to said neck so asto prevent movement of said closure by the movement between said threadmeans;

said holding means being separate from said thread means;

said neck and said closure being formed of materials permittingtemporary deformation between them during the use of said holding means;

said holding means being capable of engaging one another during movementof said closure onto said neck along said thread means so as to causetemporary deformation between said closure and said neck sufficient toenable said holding means to snap past one another;

said sealing means being compressible to form a seal between saidclosure and said neck during movement of said closure onto said neckalon said thread means; said holding means being capab e of engaging oneanother during movement of said closure onto said neck along said threadmeans without releasing sealing pressure caused by the compression ofsaid sealing means between closure and said neck; said closure beingcapable of being moved relative to said neck after engagement of saidholding means so as to compress said sealing means so as to permit saidclosure to be moved toward said base of said neck in order to offsetsaid holding means with respect to one another; said closure beingcapable of being removed from said neck when said holding means areoffset with respect to one another by being twisted on said threadmeans. 2. The combination claimed in claim I wherein: said neck and saidclosure are fonned of a deformable material. 3. The combination claimedin claim 1 wherein: said neck is formed of a deformable material. 4. Thecombination claimed in claim 3 wherein: said sealing means is integralwith said neck. 5. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein: saidclosure is formed of a deformable material. 6. The combination claimedin claim 1 wherein: each of said holding means comprises a lug. saidlugs having sloping surfaces which cause temporary radial deformationwhen said closure is being located upon said container neck. 7. Thecombination claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said holding meanscomprises a lug, said lugs having sloping surfaces which causestemporary axial deformation when said closure is being located upon saidcontainer neck. 8. The claimed in claim I wherein: each of said threadmeans comprises a multiturn thread and each of said holding meanscomprises a lug, said lugs having sloping surfaces which mate againstone another during the location of said closure upon said neck so as tocause deformation in a direction axial to the axis of said neck. 9. Thecombination claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said thread meanscomprises a thread extending less than 360" around an axis; each of saidholding means comprises a lug, said lugs having sloping surfaces whichmate against one another during the location of said closure upon saidneck so as to cause deformation in a direction radial to the axis ofsaid neck. 10. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of saidthread means comprises a plurality of partial threads; each of saidholding means comprises a lug, said lugs having sloping surfaces whichmate against one another during the location of said closure upon saidneck so as to cause deformation in a direction axial to the axis of saidneck. 11. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein: said containerneck is formed of a flexible resilient material. said sealing meanscomprises an inwardly directed. sloping flange formed integrally withsaid neck, said sealing means contacts the interior of said top of saidclosure so as to form a seal therewith upon the assembly of said closureupon said neck.

1. The combination of: a cylindrical container neck having an open endand a base; a closure having a top and a dependent cylindrical skirtpositioned on said neck with said top overlying said end and said skirtsurrounding said end; sealing means for forming a seal between saidclosure and said neck located between said top and said end so as toform a seal therebetween; mating thread means on the interior of saidskirt and on the exterior of said neck for detachably securing saidclosure to said neck; in which the improvement comprises: cooperatingholding means on the exterior of said neck and the interior of saidskirt for latching said closure with respect to said neck so as toprevent movement of said closure by the movement between said threadmeans; said holding means being separate from said thread means; saidneck and said closure being formed of materials permitting temporarydeformation between them during the use of said holding means; saidholding means being capable of engaging one another during movement ofsaid closure onto said neck along said thread means so as to causetemporary deformation between said closure and said neck sufficient toenable said holding means to snap past one another; said sealing meansbeing compressible to form a seal between said closure and said neckduring movement of said closure onto said neck along said thread means;said holding means being capable of engaging one another during movementof said closure onto said neck along said thread means without releasingsealing pressure caused by the compression of said sealing means betweenclosure and said neck; said closure being capable of being movedrelative to said neck after engagement of said holding means so as tocompress said sealing means so as to permit said closure to be movedtoward said base of said neck in order to offset said holding means withrespect to one another; said closure being capable of being removed fromsaid neck when said holding means are offset with respect to one anotherby being twisted on said thread means.
 2. The combination claimed inclaim 1 wherein: said neck and said closure are formed of a deformablematerial.
 3. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein: said neck isformed of a deformable material.
 4. The combination claimed in claim 3wherein: said sealing means is integral with said neck.
 5. Thecombination claimed in claim 1 wherein: said closure is formed of adeformable material.
 6. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein: eachof said holding means comprises a lug, said lugs having sloping surfaceswhich cause temporary radial deformation when said closure is beinglocated upon said container neck.
 7. The combination claimed in claim 1wherein: each of said holding means comprises a lug, said lugs havingsloping surfaces which causes temporary axial deformation when saidclosure is being located upon said container neck.
 8. The claimed inclaim 1 wherein: each of said thread means comprises a multiturn threadand each of said holding means comprises a lug, said lugs having slopingsurfaces which mate against one another during the location of saidclosure upon said neck so as to cause deformation in a direction axialto the axis of said neck.
 9. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:each of said thread means comprises a thread extending less than 360*around an axis; each of said holding means comprises a lug, said lugshaving sloping surfaces which mate against one another during thelocation of said closure upon said neck so as to cause deformation in adirection radial to the axis of said neck.
 10. The combination claimedin claim 1 wherein: each of said thread means comprises a plurality ofpartial threads; each of said holding means comprises a lug, said lugshaving sloping surfaces which mate against one another during thelocation of said closure upon said neck so as to cause deformation in adirection axial to the axis of said neck.
 11. The combination claimed inclaim 1 wherein: said container neck is formed of a flexible resilientmaterial, said sealing means comprises an inwardly directed, slopingflange formed integrally with said neck, said sealing means contacts theinterior of said top of said closure so as to form a seal therewith uponthe assembly of said closure upon said neck.